Based on The Divide by Elizabeth Kay
by rstorey1
Summary: Based on "The Divide" books by Elizabeth Kay. Felix, Betony and Grimspite battle Snakeweed, the malevolently mischievous japegrin.


**Divide**

Snakeweed, the japegrin, approached them mischievously,

Grimspite was already in the cottage and, upon Snakeweed's entrance, immediately threw the spindle at him. Everyone knew that if the spindle point pierced the skin, it would induce a weeklong sleep.

Betony gasped at the japegrin's approach and grabbed onto Felix for protection.

Snakeweed _easily_ dodged the flying spindle, and quickly retrieved it as his _own_ weapon.

Attempting to land a blow, Grimspite only managed to knock Snakeweed's hat off his head. Snakeweed always had his hair held tightly back at the base of his neck. However, while sidestepping another crack to the head, Grimspite pulled the japegrin's hair loose by snapping the little elastic that bound his hair. This released a wild cascade of slightly wavy, ginger hair, floating weightlessly around his head like a powder puff, his pointed pixie ears poking through at the sides.

Snakeweed bared his teeth in fury. He looked _truly_ wild now with this unruly flame of hair, spiteful green eyes twinkling with malice, pointed pixie ears and bared teeth. No _way_ could Snakeweed pass for human now, looking as he did. Felix and Betony gasped at the japegrin's appearance.

Grimspite tripped the japegrin to the floor and his face collided with the tools near the fireplace in his fall. However, he quickly he righted himself. A thin stream of the _brightest _red blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and down his chin, only _adding_ to his feral and frightening appearance.

As his chest heaved with anger, Snakeweed brought a hand to his face to wipe the blood.

Grimspite lunged at him with his short broad sword. The pixie _deftly _dodged and, in turn, lunged at _him_ with the spindle. Grimspite maneuvered skillfully and expertly plunged the blade _deep_ into Snakeweeds _left shoulder_, although his _true _objective was to impale the japegrin's malevolently mischievous heart.

Snakeweed yelped in pain and staggered backwards, dropping the spindle. Clutching at the wound through his shoulder, blood flowed from between his fingers. He winced his eyes in agony, and moaned while falling into a lean against the wall. He stood there with the wall as his crutch, his chest rapidly rising and falling with exertion. gain his green eyes met Grimspite's.

"How do you like _that,_ japegrin?" and Grimspite laughed.

**Author's note** See also "Version Two" alternate ending (at the end of this chapter).

Snakeweed's eyes scanned the room, searching for _something_ with which to defend himself, or even _better_, for a way to escape.

"Oh _no_ you don't," said a keen Grimspite observing Snakeweed's intention to flee, and he yanked the pixie away from the wall by one small wrist.

As Grimspite yanked his arm, the force _pulled_ Snakeweed's wounds open even _further_. He howled wildly in _acute_ agony.

Apparently put off by Snakeweed's horrid screeches of anguish, Grimspite tossed him to the floor. The japegrin attempted to right himself, but found that he _could not_ with the intense pain and sensations of sudden weakness. In fact, he only slipped _further _into a collapse as he crumpled to all fours, gasping for air.

"Alright, Grimspite, I _think_ you've _got _'im," offered Betony, and Grimspite stopped his advance and crossed his arms like a child told he could no longer play with a toy.

Betony approached Snakeweed and knelt down next to him, as was her nature to empathize with his pain, "Snakeweed, are you alright?"

"_No!_" he snapped in pain, "Does it _look_ like I'm alright!" and he coughed feebly. His small body had now slipped completely to the floor. Blood seeped from his wound, leaving a little pool on the floor before he completely fell unconscious into the puddle.

"Let me _finish _him off," pleaded Grimspite, drawing his weapon again.

"As much as we _all_ want him to pay for what he's done, you know that if we _killed _him, that would make us _just_ as bad as _he_ is," offered Felix.

"Humph," Grimspite pouted, realizing the truth of Felix's statement.

Snakeweed moved his legs slightly, moaning and grinding his teeth in pain.

"Japegrin, are you conscious?" inquired Felix.

Snakeweed moaned once again.

Felix poked at his back, "Hey, wake up,"

His shoulders moved as Snakeweed weakly attempted to pull his arms beneath him for support. With _much _effort, he managed to sit upright, panting. The front of his white shirt and his tan vest were now totally _saturated_ with blood.

As they pulled him upright, his eyes closed and his knees collapsed, "Grimspite, help me put him on the horse....please." requested Betony.

They draped his body over the horse.

When they arrived at Andria several hours later, Snakeweed's blood had now _completely_ saturated his shirt and vest, _and_ had left a dark stain on the horse's saddle, "He's lost _so_ much blood," mused Betony.

"Best thing for everyone if he _doesn't_ make it," mumbled Grimspite.

- - -

The next morning, his wounds were dressed. A nurse had propped him upright with pillows. His shirt was off and his left arm was in a sling, his chest and ribs were also bandaged.

Betony approached the resilient japegrin, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself _now_,"

He opened his eyes weekly, his ginger hair now combed down, and it flowed past his freckled shoulders instead of standing on end. He moaned quietly as his eyes flickered open.

"Well, _you're_ lucky you're still _alive_,"

His green japegrin eyes met hers, however they had slightly less twinkle of mischief, "Grimspite nearly had me," he finally whispered weakly.

"And there's a lot who would like to '_have_' you, too, Snakeweed. Either way, you're _still_ a living being, I _suppose_, and I came to see how you're feeling?"

"Hurts like 'ell,"

"I can _imagine_. Have they given you anything for pain?

He shook his head _no_.

"Well, I'll see what I can do about _that_. Even _if_ you're going to hell, it's not my _place_ to make it hell on earth for you. Grimspite _really _got you, didn't he? But _no_ one deserves to suffer, not even _you,_ God help me," she continued, "Anyway, you need some rest,"

"Betony, is it?" and he raised a ginger eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"Em....thank you," and he smiled weakly.

"You're welcome, Snakeweed. Glad to see you have _some_ manners, even if you've lost your integrity _and_ your morals. Be glad you still have your _heart_," referring to his wound.

He smiled again.

_Typical little pixie_, she thought.

**VERSION TWO**

**Another possible scenario:**

"How do you like _that,_ japegrin?" and Grimspite laughed.

Snakeweed's eyes scanned the room, searching for _something_ with which to defend himself, or even _better_, for a way to escape.

In a fury, Grimspite drew his dagger and stabbed it into Snakeweed's_ right _chest.

Snakeweed _screamed_ in pain, before the dagger was once _again_ plunged into his body, and _again_ to his abdomen and once _more_, puncturing a lung.

Grimspite tossed the fatally-wounded japegrin to the floor.

Snakeweed lay still, eyes open, his body almost convulsing for each breath. He moaned in agony, drawing his knees to his chest in a fetal position.

Betony gasped at the puddle of blood forming around him, "Oh Grimspite, you've _definitely_ got 'im now,"

Grimspite laughed and viciously kicked the pixie in the ribs.

Snakeweed moaned weakly at the kick, before managing to whisper, "I'm sorry, I'm _truly_ sorry. Please....," and he coughed blood, which flowed down his chin, "..._Please _forgive me,"

"Ha!" laughed Grimspite, "_Now_ you're sorry. Too late if you ask me,"

"I _am_ sorry," and Snakeweed closed his eyes, "Didn't _mean_ to let it go _so far_. Just...," gasping, "...meant to play," inhaling with extreme difficulty, "...a joke. I _am_...," yet another pain-filled gasp, "...a pixie... after all."

Coughing again from the exertion of speaking, his hands fell to his side. He gasped for air, and wheezed, trembling as air seemed to bubble out from the wounds to his chest. He moaned weakly in a barely audible voice, "So sorry," and with _that_, his head gradually slid to one side. He remained still, his chest no longer heaving, and his face had relaxed peacefully.

As they all contemplated his death, each wondered if Snakeweed really _was truly_ sorry.

_He probably _was_ sorry, _thought Betony,_ If he was _not_ truly sorry, he would've probably used his last breath to _curse_ us all instead, _not _to apologize. _Betony _did_ regret that the mischievous little japegrin had to die. _But this was really the only way to stop him_, she though, and truly there seemed to be _no_ end his viciously malevolent trickery.

However after a few moments, Grimspite clapped his hands loudly, breaking everyone's thoughtful introspection, "Well, that's _that_! Silly japegrin, doesn't know when a prank has gone too far," and he turned away from the lifeless japegrin.

Divide - Chapter 1 – Page 5


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